Features of the Formation and Characterization of ZrN Coatings Using Vacuum-Arc Deposition

The influence of pulse potential and nitrogen pressure in the chamber on the phase-structural state and hardness of vacuum-arc ZrN coatings has been studied. With increasing pressure under the conditions of a constant potential and without the influence of pulsed stimulation, observed the growth of the [111] texture and the appearance of the bittextured state [111]+[311]. Under pulse stimulation observed, the appearance of the [110] texture and the bittextured state affect the stability hardness provided the bonds are saturated with nitrogen atoms. The nitrogen pressure directly affects the grain size, microdeformation, and texture of ZrN coatings. At the substructural level, pulsed stimulation promotes the relaxation of deformation and growth of crystallite sizes, which increases the perfection of the structure with increasing pressure of the nitrogen atmosphere. The hardness of the nanocrystalline ZrN coatings varies with nitrogen pressure, which is related to the variation of preferred orientation, average grain size, and microdeformation. Hardness, without pulse stimulation, increases with increasing pressure and reaches a value of 42 GPa.